Onyebuchi Anele, a resident of the Kubwa area in Bwari Local Council, Abuja, tragically died after being shot in the face with a tear gas canister by a police officer on Wednesday, May 22.
According to an eyewitness who spoke with Leadership Newspaper, Anele was returning home from work when the incident occurred. The eyewitness reported that Anele had collided with a motorcycle (“okada”) and its passenger. After ensuring that the accident victims were uninjured, Anele continued towards his home in Haj Estate.
The situation escalated when police officers arrived at the scene and insisted that Anele accompany them to the station, despite the okada rider and passenger having already left. This led to a quarrel, during which a police officer fired a tear gas canister at close range, striking Anele in the face.
Images and videos widely shared on social media showed Anele bleeding with a metallic object embedded in his face.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday, describing the shooting as an “accidental discharge.” Adeh mentioned that the incident took place in the Byazhin community in Kubwa around 9:45 pm on Wednesday.
Commissioner of Police for the FCT, Benneth Igweh, has ordered an investigation into the matter.
Anele was initially taken to the Kubwa General Hospital and subsequently referred to the National Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on Thursday at around 8 am.
